Quarterback questions again hovering over Saskatchewan Roughriders

Welcome to the Leader-Post-mortem, which is a suitably sombre storyline after the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Week 2 meltdown.

On Thursday, the Roughriders fell 40-17 to the host Ottawa Redblacks, neutralizing any goodwill that was fostered June 15 when Saskatchewan posted a season-opening, 27-19 victory over the visiting Toronto Argonauts.

Let the dissection begin …

A FAREWELL TO ARM?

The arm strength of Zach Collaros is in question just two games into his tenure as the Roughriders’ starting quarterback.

In back-to-back games, Collaros has served up a quacker while attempting to throw to the wide side. After nearly being intercepted on such a pass against Toronto, Collaros surrendered a pick-six to Jonathan Rose.

The bloom, it appears, is off the rose.

It should be noted, though, that Collaros has put zip on the ball while throwing both of his touchdown passes in this young season.

His best throw of the season was an exacting, 13-yard TD toss to Naaman Roosevelt versus Toronto. Also consider Thursday’s 32-yard payoff pitch to Jordan Williams-Lambert.

Shortly thereafter, though, Collaros underthrew Roosevelt, who had a step on Corey Tindal Jr., in the end zone. The pass was tipped, leading to a thank-you-very-much interception by Loucheiz Purifoy.

Collaros left the game after that pick, his second of the game, and underwent concussion protocol. He was replaced by Brandon Bridge, who has a stronger arm but a weaker resume.

And now, as the Roughriders prepare for Saturday’s home date with the Montreal Alouettes, the quarterbacking situation is again a matter of question.

DURON, DURON

There are also questions about whether Duron Carter should continue to play cornerback, considering that he is an established game-breaker at wide receiver.

Carter, making his second career start on the corner, returned a Trevor Harris interception 28 yards for a score Thursday.

It was a reprise of Oct. 20, when Carter intercepted the Calgary Stampeders’ Bo Levi Mitchell and ended up scoring from 43 yards away to help Saskatchewan win 30-7 at McMahon Stadium.

Despite the twin touchdowns, the original premise stands: Carter should NOT play defence on a regular basis. Situationally, sure, but all the time?

Courtesy of TSN’s Derek Taylor: Carter was in Thursday’s game for 63 defensive snaps. He was targeted five times and, the interception excepted, surrendered four receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown.

Carter also had three defensive tackles, one missed tackle (on a 15-yard touchdown run by William Powell) and two penalties (pass interference, illegal contact).

After being picked off by Carter, Harris rebounded by torching the alleged Saskatchewan defence.

On one particularly memorable play, Diontae Spencer ran by Carter and hauled in a 56-yard scoring toss from Harris.

Also worth noting: On one second-and-five play, Carter provided so much cushion that Harris found Spencer on a quick out pattern for the easiest seven-yard, chain-moving reception you will ever see.

Consider, too, the degree to which the Roughriders’ offence — which has produced only two TDs this season — is handcuffed without its premier playmaker.

As much as Stephen McAdoo’s strategy has been scrutinized, the Roughriders’ offensive co-ordinator is hampered by not having Carter as an option. The ill-conceived “Carterback” experiment doesn’t do Collaros or Bridge any favours, either.

The Roughriders have a Bubba Wyche-like quarterback-efficiency rating — 44.0 — during the two games in which Carter has played defence.

This experiment, despite occasional high points, must end.

THREE-MAN CRUSHED

Roughriders head coach Chris Jones, who moonlights as the defensive co-ordinator, could not concoct a strategy to harness the Redblacks’ offence.

Jones called for a three-man rush 40 per cent of the time, according to data compiled and kindly shared by Derek. One play aside, the results of the three-man craze were unimpressive.

Carter’s pick-six took place while the Roughriders were rushing with three men. Overall, though, Ottawa was 13-for-16 for 228 yards (with one touchdown) against the three-man rushes. (Quarterback rating: 113.5.)

Ottawa, by contrast, exerted consistent pressure on the passer for most of the game. Although the Redblacks were hardly averse to blitzing, all three of their sacks were registered when defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe sent four rushers.

Four rushers versus five offensive linemen. The Redblacks were outnumbered, but the Roughriders were grossly outmatched.

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